Dark and Dramatic in Greenbryre MOODY & MODERN

“Dark and modern, with a touch of industrial.”

That’s how the owner of this layered and luxurious Greenbryre home—built by D & S Homes—described his vision for the space to Curtis Elmy and Trevor Ciona, the principal designers and owners of Atmosphere Interior Design.

“When we first met him, he told us he loved black,” says Curtis. Otherwise, their client “was very open to us guiding him. He gave us a lot of flexibility.”

Creating Cohesion

The home’s pièce de résistance is arguably the dark and dramatic kitchen, where balancing the black with warm wood cabinetry was key to the rich, layered look.

“Black can be a hard material to work with, because on its own, it can fall very flat and heavy,” explains Curtis. The cabinets are clad in a dark brown wenge

(pronounced wen-gay) wood veneer, which strikes a contemporary note, thanks to its linear grain.

Blending the black and brown tones “just worked,” says Curtis.

“When you’re working with a lot of black, you want to make sure that there’s some warmth in

BY: JULIE BARNES PHOTOS: EYMERIC WIDLING

some other elements, so that it doesn’t become overwhelming.”

White accents provide contrast and punctuate the space—from the industrialstyle pendant lights, to the veining detail in the black marble backsplash. “The reeded glass in the cabinet doors also feels light so there is a white component, but it’s not in your face.”

Tucked behind an inconspicuous pocket door is a butler’s pantry, which leads to a covered, outdoor kitchen complete with a barbecue and smoker.

“It’s going to be a wellused kitchen,” Curtis adds, explaining that the homeowner, an avid cook, loves to host family and friends.

The same tones and materials can be found in the ensuite, which makes a bold statement through symmetry the moment one steps inside.

A matte black freestanding tub is anchored by a slatted oak floor-toceiling feature, stained to match the floating vanity, and the wenge-fronted millwork throughout the home. Smoked glass doors to the water closet and shower visually bookend the tub, while a marblelook porcelain tile lining the walls and floor creates a dramatic backdrop.

“Porcelain has come a long way,” says Curtis. With a higher-end product, you get “multiple visuals, so when you’re looking at it installed, you don’t see the same tile repeated—and that gives you more of that authentic marble look. It’s really hard to copy nature, but a lot of companies are doing an amazing job.” He adds that due to its maintenance-free nature, it’s often the more practical choice over marble, as it doesn’t need to be sealed and resists staining.

Lighting plays a big role in their design process, says Curtis. It’s the hidden details, like the lights tucked under the mirror and vanity that “make a room come alive,” he says. “In the winter, it’s dark here, so you want these rooms to have warmth.”

With the shower room light glowing behind the smoked glass door and the ambient vanity lights, the ensuite “looks amazing at night. It really takes on different feel.”

Wow-factor Wallpaper

At the project’s outset, the homeowner said he wasn’t into wallpaper. “And now we have wallpaper everywhere,” says Curtis. “There’s no hiding it, we are wallpaper guys. All of our projects have a wallpaper or two in them.”

A statement-making laser-cut cork wallpaper covers the walls in the main floor powder room. Black and brown with a gold metallic inlay, it perfectly echoes the home’s colour palette.

Suspended above the vanity is a sculptural pendant light. While delicate looking, it also lends an industrial look to the space. “The black metal has a patina, so it’s not perfect— when it’s lit up it just looks so cool,” says Curtis.

Downstairs in the guest bathroom, a black and grey vinyl grasscloth-look wallpaper gives the room a rich texture, something Curtis says is needed when creating a monochromatic space like this.

“I think we’ve converted him” into a wallpaper guy Curtis says about the homeowner. “I think when used correctly, everybody falls in love with it.”

He explains that wallpapers have come a long way. “It’s not your grandmother’s wallpaper anymore, that’s for sure.”

As a case in point, just around the corner from the guest bath, a grasscloth-look vinyl wall covering wraps the walls on either side of a sleek and sophisticated bar. Hand-embellished copper rivets in the paper add dimension to the space, while the black faux-brick backsplash adds depth and texture.

Curtis wanted durable wallpaper for the bar “because it’s a heavily used area for mixing and liquids. We had the wallpaper company do a custom run on vinyl, which is super durable. If someone is using the margarita mixer and they spill, you can wipe it.”

Commanding Quartzite

A striking quartzite clads the bar tops, and waterfalls on either side of the peninsula. Curtis and Trevor also decided to use the quartzite for the door jambs on the entrance to the walk-in wine room. “It’s one of those materials that is so striking that you have to use a lot of it, so that you can appreciate the movement of the veining detail.”

The wine room is tucked under the stairs—a space originally planned for storage. “The door was only supposed to be on one side, but we came up with this idea to open it right up so that you could see it when you were downstairs—it helps to balance off the bar area,” says Curtis. The same smoked glass from the ensuite delineates the wine room, and “when it’s lit up at night, it just has this moody appearance.”

A few steps from the bar, the entrance to the gym commands attention. Smoked glass panels separate the gym from the adjacent sitting area, while the same richly veined quartzite from the bar beautifully frames the double doors.

A “Nordic-spa inspired dry and wet sauna” sit adjacent to the gym.

“I love seeing people being able to incorporate those things that have been on their list for years into their home,” says Curtis. “The power of loving your home is important. If you can afford it and you can fit it into your floor plan, and you know you’re going to get great use of it, it’s amazing.”

Design That Delivers

“Dark, modern, with a touch of industrial” is a vision Curtis and his team feel they delivered on. Having an open-minded client plays a big role in the success of a project like this.

“If you’re going to go in close-minded, you’re not going to get an outcome that is special,” he says. “I think you often have to be open to try something different that’s outside of your comfort zone. Great athletes often say to be nervous is not necessarily a bad thing."

After their client had outlined what he was looking for in the design of his new home, Curtis and Trevor methodically made a plan. "Our goal is to take all of the wants from a client and give them a version of that, but twist it a little bit, so it’s an interesting mix of all the things they like, and then something that they would never have thought of.”